Abstract:

This thesis investigates the various types of drawing used in the process of costume design for film, focusing on costume sketches and costume concept art. The research question for this thesis is ‘how and why are costume sketches and costume concept art used when designing costumes for film?’ The terms ‘costume concept art’ and ‘costume sketch’ have largely been used interchangeably. My hypothesis is that even though costume sketch and costume concept art have similarities in the ways of usage and meaning, they are, in fact, two separate, albeit interlinked and complementary terms as well as two separate types of professional expertise.

The focus of this thesis is on large-scale film productions, since they provide the most valuable information regarding costume sketches and costume concept art. To enrich the literature and visual material studied for the thesis, I interviewed two Finnish costume designers to illuminate the ’universality’ of drawing in costume design. I also interviewed a costume concept artist from New Zealand, to discuss the concept artist' take on designing costumes. I analyse costume sketches and costume concept art used in two case studies, Bram Stocker’s Dracula (1992) and The Hobbit: Unexpected Journey (2012) to study two different approaches in costume previsualisation.

Costume sketches seem to be viewed as the most important tool of the costume design process. In this thesis, I examine their uses as means of communication, presentation, negotiation and instruction. Some designers also use the process of making them as a way of thinking. In addition to having multiple uses, costume sketches and costume concept art also have many audiences, who will read different messages from the sketch in the different stages of its lifespan. I also study the alternative methods of designing and visual presentations of ideas costume designers use.